The Space Between
by darlingdaisies
Summary: They had never been seen. Nor heard. Their black discs were suspended in the air by what seemed to be some invisible wires. Occasionally a light flickered on he bottom and with it came a rampage from the unsuspecting bellow. Sci-fi AU. I know the title is a name of a movie but it worked really well for this so I had to use it sorry! This is a Nalu fic rated T for some violence
1. Chapter 1

They had never been seen. Nor heard. Their black discs were suspended in the air by what seemed to be some invisible wires. Occasionally a light flickered on he bottom and with it came a rampage from the unsuspecting bellow.

There were four locations. One spread across the boarder of Wyoming and Colorado casting a great shadow over the northern part of the Colorado Rockies.

The second one hung motionless over Brazil spanning from Brasilia all the way to the coast.

The third one spread over the boarder of Ukraine and Russia, creating panic and conflict.

The fourth one had placed itself over Israel, barely skimming the Gulf of Aqaba.

At first the world reacted in mayhem. While the government began making preparations for the end of the world, and the military began strengthening their forces, people created bunkers and sheds for the apocalypse that believed they needed to survive.

After a month of sitting under the floating shadows, things began to change. Weapons were turned on each other and the world fell into deeper chaos. A war between the boarder of Ukraine and Russia broke out, each country hoping to move the thing out of their country's boarders and into the next. Tourism in Brazil decreased dramatically and the people began to face a poverty lower then it had already been, as the economy dropped. Israel's internal conflict increased tenfold as religions fought on which god was angry. But America sat seemingly silent. As we prepared for an attack, the rest of the world tore itself apart.

Three months after they appeared, a draft was put into place and men an women over the age of 18 and under the age of 40 were torn from their homes in order to begin training. As the weeks went on the ages became younger and younger. The draft went from 17 through 30 to 13 through 20 within a month. The government was creating an army. Carving their pawns. Ensuring their victory. By the time I had turned twelve the draft started at age 10 and ended at age 18. They were aiming for the future, and we were the future.

I remember mother hating it. Hating the military for creating such young draft ages. Hating the government for staying silent and not helping with the war torn world erupting around us. Father said it was for the best. He said we were going to survive and in the end we would be left standing. Mother said that was the thinking of a Neo-natzi.

We were a well off family from old money, so mother and father had high hopes of me avoiding the draft. I knew that wasn't how it worked. It was inevitable.

For a year I sat feeling too much like an animal at the zoo, being watched from above and having nothing to do about it.

The next year tests were put into place at school to allow the government to observe our mental ability. They were mostly math and science based and involved many probability and common sense questions. This created a fine line between drafted and chosen. The men and women older then 20 who had been drafted years previous were released and those who were older then 18 trained to be commanders. Children who scored in the higher percentile on the tests were chosen to be trained and move into the higher ranks while the random few were still drafted.

I had just turned fourteen when I was drafted.

Mother cried.

Father said he would be proud that his only child would be serving even if it was only in the lower ranks.

I think I took the news in a peculiar way considering my age. I stood in the mirror and stared at my reflection. My smoldering eyes and carefully curving nose. My strong and usually passionate mouth and hard set jaw. I knew it was never going to be like this again. My hair combed neatly and my clothes freshly washed. Oddly, I never thought this suited me. I smirked defiantly at the reflection in the mirror.

Lucy Heartfilia never conformed to rules.

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 **I hope you liked it! I know it's a lot of background but it's all very very important and it gets much better in later chapters. I'm looking for a beta reader so if anyone is interesting hit me up! Also what did you guys think of my description of Lucy? I wanted to make it seem like it was Natsu throughout the whole thing did I do it? Idk leave me comment and tell me! Thanks for reading beautiful people!**


	2. Chapter 2

The water stops abruptly. _Damn._ I reach over to my towel hanging from the hook on the wall and pull I over my body. _Stupid five minute shower rule. A sixteen year old needs to clean her body gosh darn it._

I grumble only slightly annoyed and quickly pull on my recreational uniform. Its Sunday, the only day off for trainees. I look in the crooked mirror hanging on the tiled wall and attempt to dry my hair with my towel so it doesn't soak the back of my plain black jumpsuit. It isn't the most flattering thing but it is comfortable and considering the circumstances, Im not mad about it.

I am the only one in the showers at this time. It is about an hour until the rest of the camp usually wakes up and I am always up early.

As soon as we were drafted we were split into camps, which are usually different sections of the complex, and families within each camp. My family consists of about ten guys, and me. Being the only girl I am annoyingly referred to as mom by the rest of the boys. I had also been elected captain of our family, being the most responsible out of all the idiots.

As I make my way down the hall towards the room set apart for my family, I fold my towel neatly and hold in under the nook of my arm.

Before I even make it to the door, it bursts open and two teenage boys come rolling out of it, tangled in a dueling mess.

"I swear." I grumble and throw my towel and the struggling teens. "You idiots! I'm gone for ten minutes and you're breaking down walls! Today of all days!"

"Sorry mom!" The taller of the two boys cheers as he stands to his feet. He's around my age but towers over me. He's one of the most skilled in our family, but he never thinks.

I roll my eyes. "You're going to be the death of me Sting I swear."

I look down at the tiny boy in fetal position at his feet. "And you're picking on Lector!? You idiot he's been here for a week give him a break!" I give an exasperated sigh. And help the small boy to his feet. He's the youngest in my family at only ten years old. He came in with Frosch another ten year old a week ago and the family has given them nothing but trouble since.

As the ginger haired boy stands he glares at Sting sending every ounce of hatred towards him into one stare.

"Alright back in the room you two I've got an announcement." I pick up the discarded towel and herd the boys into the room.

The rest of my family is bunched in the room all laughing having obviously witnessed what just occurred.

"Ok guys," standing in the doorway usually gets their attention, they all turn to me, "I've heard rumors about there being a trial tomorrow. I'm sure you've heard them too." I look at the disgruntled faces and prepare for what I'm about to say. "I know it's your day off but I swear to the saucer in the sky that if none of you leave this god forsaken family to go train with the Chosens I'm going to loose it. So we're spending the day training. I'm giving you until after lunch to compose your sorry asses but I want you all in gym one by one thirty got that?" Immediately I hear uproar.

"But mooooom!"

"Whyya gotta be like this mom!"

"It's our day off women give us a break!"

This quickly gets annoying and I bang my foot against the metal bedpost of the bunk to my right. "I swear to god you are the biggest babies I've ever met!" I stomp to the corner and pull open the door to my quarters. I give them all one good stare and slam my door behind me. I don't bother threatening them. I know I have their respect and they'll do what I say. Even if they aren't happy about it.

The mess hall for our camp is on the other end of our camp's section. The boys and I walk together like we usually do, but as soon as I make it in I rush to the captains table. I slump onto the seat next to a friend of mine and lay my head on the table.

"Twelve o'clock and I already have a headache." I moan to my friend Yukino. She's giggling next to me while she finger combs her stark white hair.

"All those boys have your head spinning don't they?" She leans on the table to join me as I nod my head. "You heard those rumors?"

I nod again.

"I know this time around some of my family is bound to leave. They've all gotten so strong since the last one." Her blue eyes begin to sparkle. She really loves her family.

"I think they'll finally move Sting up this year." I state. "They have to."

"I'm sure that'll upset you." Yukino gives me a knowing glance and suddenly all the blood runs to my face.

"What— why...I don't...you— ugh. He's just a good soldier alright?" I throw my head back in my arms on the table.

I don't really like Sting in that way. I mean he is tall and lean and physically attractive but he's my family. And while he is sweet and funny— he's my family.

"I've just managed to get at least one person moved up each year and I want to keep that going." I look up at her through my still damp hair.

"Whatever you say Lucy. I'm gonna go get some food 'kay?" She starts to stand.

"Get me a sandwich?" I look at her with hopeful eyes.

"Of course!" She stands up and moves away humming something to herself quietly.

As soon as the clock on my wrist hits 1:30 gym one is full of my family talking loudly amongst themselves. I cup my hands around my mouth and tilt my head back. "Aright you know the drill let's go!" Immediately the boys begin a light jog around the gym and I bring up the rear making sure Frosch and Lector are able to keep up.

Training goes relatively smoothly the boys go through the same old drills we're required to do every trial. We finish off with spars and I watch. I spar Sting towards the end. I beat him once, he beats me once and we both have a good laugh and watch the others.

After three hours I feel satisfied and I tell the boys to go shower, they all stink. As they file out of the room Sting approaches me with a smirk and stops in front of me.

"Still haven't beaten me twice in a row." He gives a victorious grin.

"I could say the same about you." I retort with a smirk of my own.

His expression turns serious as he eyes the rest of the family leaving. "I know you're nervous about tomorrow."

He's wrong. I'm terrified.

"There's a reason we chose you as captain Lucy. You're special." He looks down at his feet and fumbles with his jumpsuit. "I feel conflicted though."

Confusion flashes in my head as I wait for him to continue.

"If I do well, then I have to leave you."

My face heats up and I try desperately not to show it.

"But if I don't, then I'll disappoint you." He looks up and meets my eye. "But I won't have to leave."

I don't know what to think or say. I run a hand through my hair awkwardly.

"I don't want to have to leave you Lucy." And with that he turns and walks away, leaving me alone in the gym.

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 **I hope you like chapter two! I promise this is a nalu story it's coming I promise you'll see. Thanks for reading beautiful people!**


	3. Chapter 3

Why does a dark ceiling have to be so damn dark? It only seems to make your mind more susceptible to the lurking thoughts you try to push down. The trial is in eight hours and I haven't slept a wink. I'm sure my family is having similar feelings in the room adjacent to mine. We're all scared for tomorrow.

As I sit and stare at the black ceiling with a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach a barely audible noise pushes through my door. I stand and groggily open my door into my family's barracks. Everything seems in order, the boys all sloppily tucked in their beds. As I scan my eyes stop on a shaking figure in the corner. Lector.

I creep over to his bunk trying not to wake the rest of the family. When I reach his bed I cross my legs under myself and sit on the floor.

"Hey," I say somewhat awkwardly. He turns to face me and sniffles quietly.

"Sorry Captain, didn't mean to wake you," he wipes at his eyes and tries to hide his tears. My face softens. Poor kid.

"It's ok kid you didn't wake me. What's up?"

He looks me in the eye and I try to reassure him with a glance. "I miss home."

My heart aches. "Me too, kid," I smile slightly at him. "We all do."

He looks across the room at another bunk. "Even Sting?"

I nod. "He cries sometimes too," I whisper.

"Hey watch it mom!" I hear his tired voice complain behind me. Lector and I both let out a laugh. Sting's body rolls out of bed and heavily makes its way over to us.

"Don't worry pipsqueak you've got a mom right here!" He ruffles my hair and I send a harsh glare his way. He's the only one with enough balls to treat me this way. I hear a couple others chuckle.

"You all should be resting for tomorrow!" I chastise. A few more boys sit up in their bunks.

"C'mon mom we've been following orders up until now! It isn't such a big deal that we're breaking curfew!" A boy on the top bunk of Sting's bed says.

I laugh at him. I know he's just trying to hide the fact that he's too scared to sleep. Quite honestly they could send all of us away. Break us all up. Family isn't only a name. It means something.

The boy beside me sniffles loudly again. "Lector?"

He wipes his nose on his wrist. "Sorry," his eyes cast down in shame.

That's when I hear a sniffle on the other side of me. I turn to see Sting holding back tears of his own. Suddenly Frosch pops his head up on the top of the bunk with fresh tears in his eyes. And with that the entire room begins to slowly break down as the soldiers around me show emotion they rarely show. Fear, sadness, longing. These boys never show an ounce of any of those emotions. Until now.

I roll my eyes. "Babies," I mutter under my breath. Nonetheless, I hold my arms open and the tiny ten year old boy crawls into them without a second thought. He's soon followed by Frosch who curls up next to me.

The teens around me take that as a cue to pull their comforters off the bed and come plop down on the floor with us. Soon our whole room is a dog pile of distraught teen age boys with me in the middle.

Sting is behind me and he wastes no time wrapping his arms around my waist and tucking his head in the crook of my neck. I can feel him crying and my heart constricts. I don't want any of my family to leave. This happens every year, but this year...I've known everyone for so long. I smile bitterly and look around.

 _Fuck these stupid flying saucers._

I haven't wanted to work this hard towards the end of this stupid panic in so long. I sigh and lay back onto Sting who gladly curls up next to me and I fall asleep.

XxXx

I wake with a start. It's hot, really hot. I blink back the sleep and look around. My family is huddled on the ground like a sad pack of wolves. The clock on the wall reads 3:15 which means I can leave early to train and shower in 15 minutes when the doors open. I crawl out of the mass of teens and sneak back into my own room to change. As I am pulling my hair into a ponytail I hear a soft knock on the door.

When I open it I see the face of one of my best soldiers.

"Rogue?"

"Hey Lucy," he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck, "I-uh-well I've heard some rumors."

I cock my head in confusion.

"I heard this years trials are different. Someone told me to tell you to be careful. Someone's concerned about our family in particular. They didn't tell me why though." He shoves his hands in his pockets. "Careful with Sting yeah? He's really torn up about it."

I nod, barely comprehending anything he's saying. I'm too tired and none of it makes any sense. "Thanks Rogue." He nods and walks away leaving me to close the door and slump against it. There's always something to worry about isn't there.

While I wait for the doors to open I warm up in my room with some jumping jacks before stretching out the kinks in my muscles. At 3:30 the red light on the lock of my door turns green and I creep out into the hallway and start in a light jog towards the gym. My muscles wake up slowly and by the time I arrive at the gym I'm feeling ready to go.

I take my anger out on a punching bag for a few minutes then stretch again too calm down. No need to waste all my energy before the trials.

I leave the gym to get to the shower early. It's almost 5 now which means the boys will be up soon. On my way to the bathroom Sting races up to me and stops me in the hall.

"Lucy! I've been looking everywhere for you! I was worried..."

I roll my eyes. "I'm fine."

"There's a paper under the door for you. No ones opened it yet," he says.

My mind becomes a frenzy. Why would there be a note for me before the trials? I follow Sting back to the barracks wondering what in the world is happening. When we arrive I don't even bother calling my men to attention.

The white paper seems to stand out too much against the metal ground. I gingerly bend down and pick it up. The boys whisper around me all confused by the out of place piece of paper. My eyes scan the note quickly.

 **Captain Heartfilia,**

 **We have been observing your family for the past week and have gathered some useful information. Congratulations to you and the wonderful soldiers you have trained. We have decided to disband your family effective immediately. You will be sent to Sector C to train in the leadership of your platoon which you will be given the day of your arrival. As for the rest of your men:**

 **Sector A:**

 **Sting Euclife**

 **Lyon Vastia**

 **Jellal Fernandez**

 **Jura Neekis**

 **Sector B:**

 **Rogue Cheney**

 **Doranbalt**

 **Seirgian Fernandez**

 **Frosch, Lector, and Tigerlily will all be sent to different families for the remainder of their training.**

 **Your family will report tomorrow morning at 6:00 at Gate A to be transported to your new assignments. Good luck.**

 **Signed,**

 **The American Association of Interplanetary Warfare**

I blink once. Twice. I'm stunned absolutely stunned. How could they break up my family like that? How could they not warn us?! I take a deep breath and glare at my men. "Attention!" They stand at attention. "The AAIOW is disbanding the family effective immediately," I am interrupted by sounds of shock. "Tomorrow morning we will report to Gate A for transportation," I take a shaky breath, "they've split us up between Sectors A and B. After breakfast I will assign you your Sector and you will begin packing. That's all."

Immediately the room erupts.

"What sector are you captain?"

"What will happen to Frosch?"

"Do we still have to go through the trials?"

I kick the bed post next to me and everyone quiets down.

"I'm being sent off to a separate sector," no need to tell them it's for leadership of a platoon, " we do not need to go through the trials now that we are no longer a family. And as for Frosch Lector and Tigerlily you will be separated into different families. They have not given me exact information on that quite yet but hang tight I promise before tonight you will know."

"This sucks mom!"

"Why do they gotta be like this!?"

"I wanna go home!"

My head is spinning. What's going to happen to my family? They've been with me for so long. I swallow a lump in my throat and push into my own private room where I find quiet. That is until Sting finds his way in my room.

"It's Sector C isn't it," He sounds bitter, "the one where you get your own platoon?"

I nod numbly.

"Shit." He pauses, "Where're they sending me?"

I look at the paper. "A," I say simply.

"Where's that again?"

I think for a second. It's hard when my brains so foggy and dull. "New England area I think."

"Where's Sector C?"

I don't want to answer because I know we both know. "Rockies."

"Gods Lucy who's going to protect you when I'm halfway across the country?" He steps closer to me and stares down at me.

"I don't need protection Sting. I'm a big girl." I wrap my arms around my body. I feel vulnerable.

"I didn't mean it like that Lucy. I just...fuck." He quickly pulls me into a hug and I can't help but fall into it. "Fuck this unstarted war. I promise you, I will show those bastards I'm capable enough for Sector C. And when they move me the first thing I'm gonna do is come find you."

All I can do is nod. He leans out and our eyes meet. He pecks my lifts softly. "I promise." And then he leaves.

I won't lie. I'm scared shitless. I'm scared for my family. I'm scared for Sting. But I'm mostly scared of that stupid Sector C because C stand for Chosen and I'm not ready for that responsibility yet.

XxXxXx

 **There you go! I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading beautiful people!**


	4. Chapter 4

My family and I are up at the crack of dawn. I had ordered them to wake up three hours before we were ordered so they could eat a decent breakfast and get everything in order before leaving. I knew they wouldn't admit it, but they also needed time to be a bit sentimental.

Lector, Frosch, and Tiger Lily were to report to their new families thirty minutes before we were ordered to be at the gate. I had received their new assignments last night. All three of them are split up. As the boys go to shower, I look around the barracks and make sure everything is how it should be. We are always told to leave things behind when moving, you won't need any of it. Of course the boys carried small personal items like books and pictures from home. They would always keep these in their pockets during the journeys between places.

I think back to when I had first arrived here. Being fourteen, I was intimidated at the thought of rooming with ten boys of all different ages, some even older than me. I had adjusted quickly; however, I learned to be cunning and quick. They had trials more often then, at least one a week, and my boys were dropping like flies. We had woken up one day with a note under the door. I had expected it to be an order for a trial as per usual, but instead I found a note describing how my family had been moving too quickly, and the trials would be pushed to be less often. Of course I was proud, and relieved at that. I had more time to train my men.

They continued to give me only guys, I wasn't entirely sure why. Sting arrived only six months after they made me captain, and he was a mess. I was tough on him, being a good two inches taller at the time it was easy. He trained hard and eventually began to lead the group.

The boys begin arrive back into the barracks after thirty minutes and noise begins to fill the room. I slip away to my own room to finish tying up the loose ends. The noise in the room adjacent to mine reaches an absurd level, notifying me that all my men are back. It's only two hours until we leave and they need to eat.

I throw myself into the room quickly slamming the door to make sure they know I'm here. All heads turn to me.

"Alright you guys know the drill," I begin. My voice isn't as loud as usual, "to the mess hall, come on!"

They file out of the room and we all start of towards breakfast. When we arrive I say brief goodbyes to the other captains who all congratulate me leaving a sinking feeling in my chest. I'm not ready.

Afterward, I go and eat my last meal with my men. They're surprised but I feel as thought I owe them this much. We finish promptly and head back to the barracks.

The boys say brief goodbyes to the younger ones and I lead the three of them down the halls towards their new families. Lector has been placed in Yukinos family, which eased a bit of my concern. Frosch and Tiger Lily are in two different families both of which had captains I had only briefly met. I say good byes to the three as I dropped each of them off, wishing them luck in their new families. They all sniffle goodbyes back.

When I return to my barracks the boys are ruff housing naturally. I quiet them down by banging my foot on an adjacent bedpost. They perk up and stand at attention for what will probably be the last time.

"You've all been loyal soldiers, loud and unruly, but loyal none-the-less," they all chuckle, "I wish you all the best of luck with your new assignments." They all loosen up after this knowing that I no longer have real jurisdiction over them. They still hold respect for me however, I can feel it. The boys go back to joking amongst themselves and a groups wanders up to me, filled with questions. Considering I no longer am their captain, I answer truthfully. Most of the questions consist of my future assignments and where I will go. A few boys ask what their assignment means. As we talk the fear in my chest bubbles around and I can barely keep it down.

Thirty minutes before we are required to be at the gate, the boys and I jog off through the halls. I wanted to make sure we were early. We arrived ten minutes later and were told to sit and wait. Sting approaches me.

"So this is it huh?" His Hans creeps awkwardly up his neck, "I don't know what's gonna happen from here Lucy, for the first time ever I don't know what to do."

I chuckle trying to make things light heated. "Oh come on Sting, don't you remember the first time we met, you were a mess," I look up to see him smiling a bit.

"I guess you're right."

"You were fine then and you're gonna be fine now." I don't want him to go. He's been my only constant.

"I guess I can only really say goodbye..." he trails off.

"Goodbye Sting," I stand slowly.

"'Bye Lucy." He hugs me abruptly and I let him hold me for a brief moment before I pull back. No need to be sentimental.

A man in a dark grey uniform approaches me saying that it's time for me to leave. I stand and follow him. Before I board my ship I turn to the boys, all of which are waving with goofy grins talking various forms of "bye mom!"

I smile and roll my eyes. With a sarcastic salute I step onto the small aircraft and take a seat.

 **XxXxXx**

 **Ahhh I feel like it's been forever! I wasn't originally going to continue this story but I really really enjoy writing it so I'm going to keep going even if no one reads it lol. If you are reading tho, than you beautiful person! (If you are reading the authors note I love you the mostest xoxo)**


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